Hiding from Truth, Living with lies
by Neokie
Summary: Red XIII has been seperated from the others. Now his weaknesses start picking on him...
1. Chapter 1

Red XIII returns to Cosmo Cannyon with his friends after defeating Sephiroth to tell everyone of the great news. The one he is most excited to tell is Bugenhagen. Only he forgets what has happened to his grandfather and starts living with lies.

"Grandpa! Grandpa! I'm home! We saved the planet!...Grandpa?" Young Nanaki pushed open the door to the observatory, only to find a cold and empty house waiting for him. How could he forget? He was so stupid. "Grandpa's not here...He's..." He refused to admit the truth to himself, sitting on the couch he sighed, covering up his pain with a lie. "Grandpa's on a trip, learning about the planet. That's right. How could I forget...?" He stared at the ground, his flame end tail moving back and forth, the Limited Moon barette in his firey mane. The XIII tattoo was bolder on his front leg as he jumped back down. One of his bracelets jingled and he began walking towards the people down below. He jumped down the ladder, smiling, hiding back his pain as his heart cried out silently.

He descended down the steps, looking up to the observatory as he thought he heard a familiar voice laughing out 'Hoo hoo hooooo...' Only his imagination. He would give anything to his grandfather again, even give up his life, but he couldn't bare the thought of leaving his friends, leaving them with another lost comrade. He couldn't stand the thought of anyone mourning over him. Nanaki shook his head, jumping down he saw Cloud sitting near the Cosmo Cannyon, the others were exploring his home. Letting out a sigh, he approached Cloud, letting pride show on the outside.  
"What are you doing?" Red XIII asked as he sat down next to Cloud. Cloud looked up, letting out a sigh he looked back towards the fire, it burned brightly and reflected in his blue mako eyes. Cloud whispered something faint that even with Red XIII's heightened hearing, he could not hear it. "What?" He inquired, staring at Cloud and then at the mood. Cloud closed his eyes, the fire of the Cosmo Candle's reflection repelled from his pupils. "I said, I'm waiting for you. I want to know; how are you doing? Bugenhagen's not there and you don't know when he'll come back..." Nanaki shook his head, faking a smile. "Don't worry, he'll come back when I least expect it, laughing hoo hoo hoo all around, telling everyone what new things he's learned!" Cloud smirked, believing it. "Okay, are you gonna stay here? Or come with us to Midgar"  
Red XIII froze at the question, another choice to make. If he stayed here, he could embrace the memory of his grandfather forever. If he went with Cloud and the others, his mind would be too busy with helping others to even think about Bugenhagen. But he couldn't be selfish. "Give me a day or two, I'm coming with you guys." Cloud nodded and stood up, stretching and heading towards the Cosmo Cannyon bar. Red XIII smile and nodded, he ran off up the stairs once more to the observatory. Along the way, he noticed a small boy running around outside the materia shop. The same boy who had asked him if Bugenahagen would come back.

His name was Ghandi, he was a boy who was curious about most things, he was always asking Bugenhagen questions about the planet and life. Red XIII had told him that Bugenhagen was coming back. Ghandi smiled, adjusting his bandana around his brown hair ans smiled with his dark-toned cheeks. "Hey Nanaki! Is Bugenhagen back yet?" He asked, his brown eyes full of wonder. Nanaki shook his head. "Not yet, but you can bet he'll be back laughing and stuff. Ghandi smiled and ran into the item shop as Red XIII smiled, then frowned, knowing the truth that would hurt Ghandi.

Nanaki sighed, remembering what Bugenhagen had last said to him before he died. Before he inherited the Limited Moon weapon which helped him fight alongside Cloud and the others, before any of this happened. Bugenhagen had gave him the Limited Moon, saying 'It looks good on you. Hoo hoo hoooo...' Then that was it. Red XIII was mad at himself, mad that he couldn't help Grandpa, old age was one thing, but Red XIII couldn't let go. Red XIII climbed up the ladder, he entered the observatory and sat on Bugenhagen's bed, he looked up and howled to the moon, tears streaming down his eyes as he cried himself to sleep. 


	2. Another Day, Time to Play

Chapter 2

"What to do? Have you lost your way? When that happens we each have to take a good look at our hearts. There's always something forgotten. Remember it...Whatever that is, must certainly be what you are looking for..." - Bugenhagen

Nanaki woke up the next morning, awakening to a knock at the door. "Hey Red, you there?" A familiar voice called from behind the door. Red XIII yawned, jumping down and landing on his feet, he walked over to the door slowly, opening it to find Yuffie and Tifa. Cloud was there as well, his arms crossed and a sulky look on his face. Tifa smiled, bending down to pet Red. "We're going over to Wutai to visit Yuffie's dad, we'll be back tomorrow in three days okay?" Red XIII shrugged, "It's not my business, but why are you telling me?" Yuffie smirked. "Because we're leaving the spiky headed jerk and Barret with you." Nanaki's eyes widened, that explained the sour look on Cloud's face. "So you're leaving wtih Cid, Vincent, and Cait Sith to go to Wutai?"

Tifa nodded. "I already said sorry to Cloud and Barret, but I should also say sorry to you too." Tifa got down onto her knees until she was eye level with Red XIII. She reached over and hugged him. "Sorry." Red XIII nodded as Tifa pulled away and stood back up, stretching her hands behind her back. "So..Should we get going Yuffie?" Yuffie nodded and turned to Cloud. "See ya Cloud." She jumped down and out of their sight. Tifa smiled and hugged Cloud. "Don't you or Barret kill each other while we're gone." Cloud nodded and rolled his eyes. "Yes ma'am." Tifa giggled and waved, walking down the stairs as Red XIII looked at Cloud.

Cloud sighed, looking at the ground and then back up at the son of Seto. "So...I heard you howling last night..Were you okay?" Red XIII was shocked to see that the so-called former Ex-SOLDIER was showing some feeling. Maybe Aeris's death and defeating Sephiroth had lightened his mood. "Yeah...I was just...Calling out to my father..." Cloud's expression hardened. "I see...But anyway, I'll see you later." He descended down the ladder and then the stairs as Yuffie and Tifa did. Red XIII sighed and followed, jumping down the ladder. he was suprised to find Ghandi waiting for him. "Hi Nanaki, what were your friends doing?" Red XIII shook his head. "They're going somewhere."

"Like Bugenhagen?"

"Yeah, like Grandpa..."

"Hey wanna take a walk?"

"WHat?"

"Wanna walk around the cannyon?"

"Um..Sure..."

A smile crossed Ghandi's face as he and Nanaki started walking around. Ghandi smiled all the way, whistling a tune Red XIII could have sword was familiar. "Ghandi?" He asked as Ghandi came to a halt. "Yeah?" "What's that song you're whistling?" He inquired and Ghandi smiled. "Bugenhagen taught me it when you weren't here!" Red XIII hesitated, that's why the tune was familiar. It was a lullaby his mother would sing to him while he was still a pup, before his father had supposedly run, before he started calling his father a coward, without knowing the truth.

Ghandi and Red XIII continued walking until Ghandi ran over to a rock and began searching it. "What are you doing?" Red XIII asked, Ghandi suddenly rammed into the rock in the corner and a red jewel fell out of place. Ghandi picked it up. The jewel reminded Red XIII of the fire of the Cosmo Candle, of how he felt when he found out what his father had done. Ghandi handed the jewel to Nanaki, Nanaki noticed something peculiar about the jewel.

It had a flame emblem engraved into it, it reminded him of the Cosmo Candle in the middle of Cosmo Cannyon. Ghandi grinned. "It's materia! You know my family runs the materia shop and my brother's in charge, he told me about it!" Red XIII examined the materia, sniffing it. "It's for you!" Ghandi exclaimed as he placed the materia before Nanaki.

Red XIII nodded, placing the materia into it's slot on his bracelet. "This'll come in handy later. Thanks Ghandi." Ghandi nodded and smiled. "You're welcome Nanaki!" They began walking back towards Comso Canyon. 


	3. Time to go Home, find anything good?

Chapter 3,

Along the way. they encountered a trio of Sanghains, Ghandi pulled out a wooden stick as Red XIII shook his head, he sneered. "Ghandi! Get behind me!" Ghandi did as instructed and stayed behind Nanaki, trembling as the wooden stick shook in his hands. The first Sanghain fired a stream of water from it's lance, the pressure took Nanaki by suprise as he held his ground, withstanding the attack. "My turn!" He exclaimed, curling up into a ball and ramming into the sanghain.

The sanghain fell back and didn't rise back up. Red XIII flicked his head to the side, smirking in victory as he dodged the other two sanghains. A sanghain rammed into Red XIII with his trident, jamming it in Red XIII's side. Nanaki winced and drew back, bleeding from his open wound. Closing his eyes, he muttered something as his paw dug into the red earth underneath them. The ice materia in it's slot glowed a slight green then a shard of ice landed straight onto the sanghain killing it instantly. The other sanghain shared the same fate.

Red XIII smirked, picking up a potion and a few gil left behind from the sanghain as he turned to Ghandi who was shaking uncontrollably. Ghandi, dropped the wooden pole as the fight ceased and looked down at his hands. They were dripping with a dark colored liquid, it was thick and smelly as Ghandi shivered, biting down on his lip as he started crying.

Red XIII turned to Ghandi and sighed, shaking his head. "It's okay, stop crying..." Ghandi wiped the tears from his eyes and frowned. "But what about--" "Nevermind that, here." Red XIII said, ripping a tall plant from the ground, he bent over to Ghandi, squeezing the plant with his teeth as liquid dripped down, over Ghandi's hands. The young boy winced as a small hissing sound was heard. The blood washed off and the wounds were barely visible. Ghandi grinned, wrapping his arms around Nanaki and falling asleep after whispering something. "Thanks Nanaki."

Nanaki asked himself questions while they walked back to the village.Ghandi was too young, why had he been training? Why had he frozen up? Was it his first battle? Question danced around his brain while he walked back, his mane bouncing up and down. As they arrived at the village Barret and Cloud were waiting. Barret raised an eyebrow at Ghandi as Red XIII set him down by the fire. "Something I miss Red?" Barret asked as Red XIII shook his head. "We ran into a few sanghains on the way back. Nothing too harsh."

Cloud nodded as a young boy in a blue hat and orange vest came running down. "GHANDI!" He shouted as he bent down to the young one. Nanaki shook his head. "He's fine. Don't worry." The boy nodded and picked Ghandi up, walking back up the stairs to the materia shop.

Barret watched and then shrugged. "Oh yeah this guy here did something useful today." Cloud had an annoyed expression on his face as Barret commented about him. Nanaki's ears perked up as he sat down between the two. "What is it?" Cloud smirked and pointed near the doorway. "I found out that the Cave of Gi isn't really shut out forever. Some new monsters have appeared there as well.

Nanaki smiled at the thought of seeing the plae where his dad proved himself again. "When can we go?" Barret shook his head. "When can YOU go. I'm not going into that cave again. Gives me the creeps!" Cloud laughed.

"Scared you gonna run into a wall of spikes again?"

"That was you last time ass."

"Hey break it up guys, Tifa said you can't kill each other." Red XIII reminded them as he stood back up. "Anyway, I'm gonna go there tomorrow. It's been a long day. If you wanna come just meet me by the switchbox." Red XIII ascended up the stairs as Barret and Cloud walked into the inn. 


	4. The Cave of Gi

Red XIII woke up the next morning. His head pounded as he groggily got up from the couch. Walking over to the tab;e he blinked his eyes wide open as he glanced at the Materia Ghandi had given him. He smirked and tossed it in the air with his tail, catching it in his bracelet he locked it into the materia slot. He smirked and ran outside, down the stairs and out into the cliff. He looked at the red sun overlooking his hometown and took a breath of air. He smirked and looked over to the Cosmo Candle, Cloud and Barret were waiting for him.

He ran over as and landed inbetween the two. He looked at both of them and nodded. "Ready to go?" He asked and Barret shrugged. "I ain't a fool to let my pal go by himself right?" Red XIII nodded and Cloud sighed. "Same here." The three walked away from the Cosmo Candle and prepared to go into the dark depths of the cave of Gi. Red XIII opened the small outlet box and the doorway slid away. Barret and Cloud walked in one after another, Red XIII came in last. Little did they know that someone was following them.

Cloud descended the ladder first, Barret followed, he shuddered as his boots touched the cold floor of the cave. Red XIII jumped straight down, curling into a ball to slow his fall and landed on his feet. He looked around then at Cloud and Barret. "Lead the way." Red XIII said with an anxious smirk. Cloud nodded adn began walking along, making sure to watch out for any slippery substance. They walked for awhile, fending off what the cave had in store for them. Whether it was a Gi Spector, a Sneaky Step, or even a Heg. they knew how to take care of it.

After a couple of hours they came to a wall with markings over it. Red XIII recognized them and pulled out the materia Ghandi gave him. The emblem matched the same one on the wall. There wa sa slot big enough for the materia to fit through. Red XIII slid it in, the materia glowed a bright red then the wall moved to the side, the materia reappeared in Red XIII's slot. Barret looked abit more confused then amazed as Cloud did. "Uh..What the hell was that?" He asked as Red XIII shrugged, standing in the doorway. "I don't know but it gave us a new path. Come on." Cloud nodded and began walking again as Barret scratched his head and followed.

They continued their way, but now they discovered monsters they ahd not previously fought before they opened the doorway. They encountered cactaurs, Vlakorados, and even Malboros. Cloud finished off the malboro with a swing of his buster sword, he placed it behind his back and wiped the sweat from his brow. "Geeze what have we done? I think when we opened that doorway monsters from different parts of the planet appeared." Logic, you couldn't beat it. Red XIII and Barret both nodded, agreeing with the blonde.

They all began talking, explaining theories about why this doorway was here in the first place, why they hadn't noticed it the first time they came here, and why there was a foul odor in the air. By the time they ahd finished they were all in trouble. They looked around and saw Malboros, cactaurs, and tonberrys surrounding them by the handful. Barret reloaded his gun arm as Cloud pulled out the sword from his back.R ed XIII positioned himself and growled. A load of enemies like this always signaled a glorious battle.

The three of them charged in opposing directions, swinging or firing their weapons, even trying to claw the moneters' eyes out. Red XIII jumped atop a Malboro, biting the eyes, sinking his teeth in. The Malboro screeched in pain as it ran around, screeching to get the young warrior of it's head. It fell to the ground moment's later and disinegrated after Red XIII finished it off with a fire3 spell.

Barret fired at a cactaur, countering it's thousand needle atatck with his own barrage of bullets. He muttered an incantation while firing and destroyed the cactaur like nothing with a simple demi 3 spell. Cloud swung his buster sword and decapacitated the tonberry before it even got near him. It disinegrated before a single drop of blood fell.

The group of monsters began to descrease slowly as the three members of AVALANCHE continued fighting. As there was only one monster left the foul odor in the air got stronger. Barret fell unconcious to the floor and Cloud fell on his knees, holding his head as he cried out in pain, falling into a black unconciousness. Red XIII fought to keep his eeys open but the odor got him in the end.

Wutai, around afternoon.

Tifa rose her head from the book she was reading. A chill was in the air. Yet she couldn't quite plac her finger on it. "Hey Tif! Come on! We're gonna be late!" Yuffie called out, pulling on Tifa's arm. "We promised Vincent and Cait Sith that we'd meet them at the tower. Cid's getting impatient anyway." Yuffie said as she rolled her eyes at Cid who was taking a smoke by a tree. Tifa nodded hesitantly and followed Yuffie. She looked back one more time then thought of Cloud, Red XIII, and Barret.

'I hope they're alright.' She thought to herself silently as she followed Yuffie and Cid.

Anyway that's the fourth chapter. Fifth chapter might be up soon. Please comment. 


	5. Grandpa

Neokie: Hehe sorry for not updating. I got sidetracked in a game I got. I didn't put the controller down for anything and I got dragged downstairs to eat with it. YOu can tell how it is sometimes. Anyway this is the semi-final chapter before the ending I hope. xD Because I still have YOukai Secrets to finish and a new one on it's way. Sorry if it seems short. Hit it Nananki.

Red XIII: Fine.. -shakes head- Neokie does not own Final Fantasy VIII...OR ME!

Neokie: Silence!

Red XIII found himself in a weird place afterwards, bound by chains. He gnawed at them and winced, retreating his head back in pain as he felt the cold metal on his canines. He looked around for Barret and Cloud, seeing neither of them he lay his head down on the dirt and snorted, his nostrils flared as he looked around. It all seemed familiar yet he had no idea where he was. A figure appraoched, wearing a green mask and holding a spear it spoke something that Nananki could not hear. The figure poked Nanaki with his spear and Red XIII snarled, snapping at it.

The person jumped back in suprise and then ran away. Red XIII thought about what he had seen and blinked. The Gi were back? ..No...It was impossible. His mom...and Dad had fought them away from the cannyon years ago. Was he going mad? He shrugged and struggled, dragging himself over to a stalagmite he place it on his paws, rubbing it against the stalagmite. The chain burned itself off and Red XIII stood up, licking his paw and looking at his surroundings.

He stretched and decided the best thing to do would be to look for Cloud first then Barret. He ran out and looked around. It was still the Cave of Gi. The image of the green masked person scared him, he quickly replaced the image with a different one and started to look around. He found no sign of the spiky blonde or the cussing machine gun hand man. He sat himself down next to his petrified father, glancing at the burning red moon.

"Father...Please help. I know you're still here. Anything to help me?" He sighed and stood back up, ready to continue. It seemed the Lady of good fortune wasn't siding with him this time. Until he heard something he missed dearly.

"Hooo hoo hooo..."

The familiar laugh of his Grandfather? Red XIII snapped his head back, turning it to find Bugenhagen. The Bugenhagen Cosmo Cannyon had missed. He ran over but passed right through Bugenhagen, nearly falling off the cliff if he hadn't stopped immediately. Bugenhagen laughed. "Don't try young Nanaki. You asked for help did you not? This is why I am here." Nanaki's eyes widened and he sat, glancing at his father and grandfather.

"Grandpa..." He said but Bugenhagen continued.

"You've been living with a lie have you not? This is why you see the Gi. They are merely your weakness of that lie. Defeat them and the path to your friends will be clear. That is all I can tell you. See you on the other side when you arrive. I'll be waiting. Hooo hoooooo hoooooooooooo..."

Bugenhagen faded and Red XIII clenched the dirt underneath his paws. He howled and snarled, rushing down the cliff, searching for the Gi, his weakness. 


End file.
